Return To Me
by The-Pirate-Lass
Summary: AU AWE in which Will is not captain of the Dutchman, but stays with Elizabeth, but leaves her instead and Norrington is alive. Jack comes to rescue her from her societal cage once again...minus the corset. Sparrabeth.


**A/N: This one was a lot of fun to write. I do hope you enjoy reading this one as well. Perhaps they are a little more in character than some of my others. Perhaps not.**

**Disclaimer: No. Must I keep torturing myself with this?

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A year after returning from Worlds End, Captain Jack Sparrow stood on the dock of Port Royal, his ship floating out where no one in the port could see. He stared down at the letter he had picked up in Tortuga almost two months after it had been sent. He had never expected something like this.

_Jack,_

_It has been too long since I've seen you last hasn't it? I hope I'm finding you well, or as well as a pirate who has escaped death countless times can be. I told myself that I was being silly and juvenile for bothering with you. What would you want with a woman who once sent you to your death? I'm hoping that the fact that I almost died rescuing you and I am forever sorry for even telling you I wasn't and not having the courage to admit that when I was still on the Pearl, would be enough for you to at least humor me for a moment._

_It seems, Will has left me for good this time. We haven't been the same since I kissed you. These past few months we tried to make it work. I made myself think that that was exactly what I wanted, for it to work. Apparently, I was badly mistaken or that's what Will said. This has lead to many severe arguments in the past and about a month ago was the last straw for him. He told me he couldn't live with someone who loved freedom and piracy as much as I do. Those things aren't for him. Jack, he told me he hated me, that I was nothing, but a stupid pirate wench. Can you believe that? I had a hard time believing he'd say something like that, myself, although he was drunk at the time. As much as it hurts, part of that was right. I do love freedom and piracy, more than anything._

_Unfortunately, my father does not see this, and since his return to power, he sees fit for me to marry the newly made Commodore Norrington once again. The wedding is set for four months from now. I've tried and pleaded for him to reconsider, bearing in mind that I despise James with all my being for causing the mess with Davy Jones that you had to endure upon your return to the living, but he will have none of that. Jack, I need your help. I can't possibly marry him when I have feelings for someone else. I can't be tied down. It will break me. Will understood this, but just being with me was not enough for him, for he was not the one on my mind. Please help me._

_Yours truly,_

_Lizzie_

He ran a hand over his face as he moved into the shadows to avoid some soldiers. "I can't believe I'm doing this." He muttered. _I can't believe the stupid whelp said that to her. It's terribly hard to believe. And just who is on her mind? Me? _He grinned at how angry poor William must have been after he figured that one out.

Once the threat was gone, he threaded his way silently to the governor's mansion and found her room easy enough. Grinning he scaled the wall, surprised at his luck. No one had caught him, even though it was getting late. He jumped lightly on his feet and peered into her room. She seemed to be sitting on her bed, staring at the magnificent royal blue and black beaded evening dress hanging on her wardrobe door along with the undergarments. He frowned. She was talking to herself. He cracked the door open.

"-fool to think Jack would want anything to do with me." She was saying with a sigh. "I've always wished for a handsome pirate captain to sweep me away from this boring life, but I suppose I should have known better." She murmured.

His grin widened and he stepped in the room. "One handsome pirate captain at your service, luv."

She leaped to her feet, her hand shoving up her nightgown, swiftly revealing a dagger tied to her thigh with a leather strap before he had finished his sentence, almost before he started talking, but when she saw who it was, she narrowed her eyes and marched over to him, slapping him in the face.

He staggered backwards. "Ouch, darling. What did I do to deserve that?"

"That was for frightening me." She murmured.

"Ah…well…perhaps I deserved it." He replied, giving her a light shove onto the bed, his hand sliding up her thigh, making her gasp and shiver, but he just grinned and removed the dagger she had just revealed from the strap to examine. "Hmm…a dagger…on yer thigh…I pity any man who tries to ravish you without permission." He murmured, chuckling.

She studied him, as she lay back on her bed in a revealing nightgown that was wadded around her upper thighs, said thighs spread wide.

Jack's eyes widened and then he growled. "Darling, if you don't get up now, _**I'm**_ going to ravish you without permission."

An audible swallow was heard as she swiftly climbed to her feet, mere inches from him. "How'd you get past the soldiers on the dock?"

"What soldiers?"

"What do you mean what soldiers?"

"I saw no soldiers until I was halfway here."

She frowned and went to the window, looking down at the fort. "Odd…"

Then, a knock sounded at the door, causing them both to jump and look at it. "Elizabeth? Are you decent?"

Her eyes widened. She had refused assistance and was going to be dressed and ready for dinner by the time her father came to get her, but time had gotten away from her again. "No father…I'm…feeling rather ill. Perhaps I'll have dinner upstairs?" She called.

"Elizabeth, you have done this three nights in a row. James is here to see you! At least make an appearance and then you can beg off early."

She sighed. "All right, father. I'll be down shortly. Don't wait for me."

"Nonsense. We'll be in the parlor, darling."

As his footsteps could be heard going down the stairs, Elizabeth became frantic. Untying the ties on her nightgown, forgetting that Jack was there for a second.

Not wanting to get slapped later, he said, "Are you planning on letting me see everything or have you forgotten I'm still here?"

Her eyes widened and she grabbed the dress and undergarments, racing for the screen.

"I see you've given up the corset. Good idea to be sure, although it is rather flattering on certain…assets."

A small hysterical laugh could be heard from behind the screen and then a frustrated cry.

"Need some help, luv?"

"No." She snapped and then a few minutes later, "yes."

He chuckled and walked behind the screen to find her back turned and the fastenings in the back of the dress undone, revealing smooth, creamy skin. Swallowing, he resisted the urge to remove the dress and petticoats right then and there as he began fastening the many buttons at a surprising speed.

"Do I even want to know where you learned to button a dress?" she asked, her humor returning.

"Probably not." He replied. "Maybe I'll tell you one day, but I don't think today is that day." Then, his hands reached the top button and he caressed her skin for a moment. The involuntary shudder this caused made him grin. "Finished, luv."

"Very good." She murmured slightly out of breath and moving to a dresser where a string of black pearls lay. "If you'd be so kind?"

Smiling, he moved over and hooked them easily enough, exclaiming at her good taste, and then she turned around. Looking at her nearly took his breath away. Those black beads in the dress he had noticed earlier were black pearls that matched the necklace she wore. His eyes sparkled.

"You like it?"

"Oh Elizabeth…you look…b-"

"ELIZABETH! ARE YOU NOT DRESSED YET?"

She gave him a disappointed look as she reached out and touched his face briefly. "I'M JUST GETTING MY SHOES FATHER! I'LL BE OUT IN A MOMENT! Will you be here when I get back?"

"Yes, but you'll have to hurry. My crew won't wait all night. They'll leave us both and I know you couldn't hide me in your room forever, no matter how enjoyable it might be, having your very own pirate in here to molest at your leisure."

A very unladylike snort as well as a crimson blush was what he got in reply as she left the room and a, "stay out of trouble." Then, the door was shut and she was gone.

His eyes wandered around the room. "Hmm…" Walking over to her nightstand, he found several books lying there. "What 'ave we got here? _Proper Etiquette For Ladies of High Society,_…ick…who would want to read that?…_Highwaymen, Pirates, and Other Rogues_…now we're getting somewhere…_The legend of Jack Sparrow_…that's interesting…" He pocketed that last book for later perusal. "Oh? And what's this? He opened the book on the bottom to find that it was, in fact, Elizabeth's diary. A wicked grin spread across his face as he opened it and began flipping through, looking for something interesting.

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Sometime later, he had reached the last entry and found something quite interesting.

_I hope he has received my letter by now. I'm not sure how much longer I can stand this. Every day, I pretend to be something I'm not, love someone I don't, how can my father not see that? If he wants me to be happy then why can't I make my own decision about this wedding? I hope Jack comes for me. I can still see him watching me step off his magnificent Pearl with Will…still hear him mocking me…still smell him…God, I can still taste him. Jack swallowed. …Can still feel him pressed against me, his hand on my waist, and that mouth…oh that mouth of his…somewhat hesitant at first, but then devouring mine like a tiger devouring its prey once he took over…if his eyes had been open while his lips were on mine…I'm not sure I could have chained him to the mast…such expressive orbs, as unfathomable as the sea, they are…one could get lost in them…but what am I saying? A childish fantasy is not going to get me anything but another hot, sleepless night thinking about our sweat-covered bodies pressed together in ecstasy. I must stop torturing myself._

A grin flashed across his face, just as the door swung open and Elizabeth rustled in. He dropped the book as she shut the door behind her and turned to look at him. "We'll have to hurry, but I-what are you grinning about?"

"Oh nothing, darling."

She walked over to him and looked down before he could hide it. "Jack Sparrow you've been reading my diary!"

"Captain. _**Captain **_Jack Sparrow. And only the last entry, luv."

Picking it up, she scrambled for the last entry and scanned it, a blush slowly creeping across her skin causing Jack to wonder just how low that flush went.

"Shall I keep my eyes open next time my mouth 'devours' yours?" He asked jokingly.

Angry tears sprang to her eyes. "That was private, Jack. Did you just come here to mock me like everyone else?"

His eyes widened. "Elizabeth, I-"

"Elizabeth? It's James. I was wondering, could I speak to you for a moment?"

Jack slid himself under the bed, being careful to not mess up his effects, thankfully he left his coat and hat on _The Pearl_ not wanting to attract attention.

"O-of course. Come in." She called, sitting down on the bed and staring out the window. Jack grimaced at the hurt he could hear in her voice.

He came in almost hesitantly.

"I already told you I felt ill. What is it, James?"

"Well…I know I've not been the best fiancé I could have been the past few months and…I wanted to apologize. You've refused to see me the past few days and I felt that perhaps I've done something to offend you."

She scoffed at him, sarcasm dripping from her words. "Done something to offend me? Whatever would give you that idea?"

Jack stifled a chuckle.

James, always one to pick up on emotions a little late, noticed small tearstains on her face. "Have you been crying? Is something wrong?"

She sighed. "James, you're starting to sound like my father. It is a trivial matter that I was fretting over, perhaps just nerves, I'll be fine." Jack winced. _Trivial?_

"That's good to hear, Elizabeth. I want what's best for you. I do love you." He leaned in and kissed her on the mouth softly before leaving.

Once his footsteps could no longer be heard, Jack slid out from under the bed, frowning. Going to her, he wiped the tearstains away. "Elizabeth, I-"

"Don't say it, Jack. I don't appreciate you reading my personal things. If I wanted you to know any of that, you wouldn't need to read it."

"I'm sorry, darling. If I had known it would make you upset, I would not have done that."

She ignored him, staring out at the ocean.

"Would it do me any good to admit that I love you?" He whispered against her ear.

She stiffened. "Captain Sparrow, I don't believe I heard you correctly. Could you repeat it?"

He grinned against her ear. "I love you."

Blinking back tears, she wrapped her arms around him. "When do we leave?"

"Now is as good a time as any. Gather your things, but hurry, I'm quite looking forward to having our 'sweat-covered bodies pressed together in ecstasy."

She flushed and slapped him playfully and he caught her around the waist pulling her close. "It's nothing to be ashamed of, darling." His lips brushed against her softly. "Now…let's gather your things so we can leave this infernal place before your father or ol' Norrie appears again."


End file.
